corpuscle Hear it!

corpuscle definition

cor·puscle (kôrpus′əl, -pə səl)

noun

  1. a very small particle
  2. Anat. a protoplasmic particle or cell with a special function; esp., any of the erythrocytes (red corpuscles) or leukocytes (white corpuscles) that float in the blood, lymph, etc. of vertebrates

Etymology: L corpusculum, dim. of corpus: see corpus

Also corpuscule cor·pus′·cule′ (kôr puskyo̵̅o̅l′)

Related Forms:

  • corpuscular cor·pus′·cu·lar (kôr puskyo̵̅o̅ lər, -kyə-) adjective

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.